St Bride's Church, Glasgow Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St Bride's Church
The Parish Church of Saint Bride
St Bride's from Old Station Park
55°52′48″N 4°18′19″W / 55.879944°N 4.305139°W / 55.879944; -4.305139
Location	Hyndland, Glasgow
Country	Scotland
Denomination	Scottish Episcopal Church
Churchmanship	Anglo-Catholic
Membership	98 (2003)
Website	[1]
History
Dedication	Brigid of Kildare
Dedicated	1907
Consecrated	1 February 1915
Architecture
Architect(s)	George Frederick Bodley
Groundbreaking	1903
Completed	1907
Specifications
Materials	Red sandstone
Administration
Diocese	Glasgow and Galloway

St Bride's Episcopal Church is a beautiful church located in the Hyndland area of Glasgow, Scotland. It's a special place for people who follow the Scottish Episcopal Church.

The History of St Bride's Church

Imagine Glasgow in the late 1800s! New neighborhoods were growing, and people needed places to worship. St Bride's Church started as a small, temporary building.

In 1891, a group of local businessmen decided to build a church in the Kelvinside area. One of them, J. B. Fleming, owned land on Beaconsfield Road and offered it for the church. Other important people involved were James Parker Smith, a Member of Parliament, and Francis Newbery, who directed the Glasgow School of Art.

The first church building was a small wooden chapel. It came from Douglas Castle, a big home belonging to the Earls of Home. This chapel could fit 114 people. It was named after St. Bride of Kildare, who was a special saint for the Douglas family.

From 1891 to 1893, priests from nearby St Mary's Cathedral helped lead services at St Bride's. Then, in 1893, Mr. Pickering and Mr. Fleming gave money so the church could have its own priest. The Revd Theodore Younghughes became the first priest in charge.

Moving to Hyndland Road

But then, there was a disagreement with Mr. Fleming, who owned the land. So, the church had to move! In 1899, a new spot was chosen on Hyndland Road.

Imagine this: they took off the church's tall spire so it wouldn't hit telephone wires. Then, they slid a big wooden frame under the building. They put soapy wooden planks in front of it, leading to the road. A powerful engine then pulled the frame with the church on top! It moved half a mile to its new home in just one hour. The church was ready for services the very next morning, which was a Sunday!

St Bride's from Hyndland Road

After finding its permanent home, St Bride's became an 'incumbency,' which meant it could have its own main priest, called a Rector. Theodore Younghughes became the first Rector.

The church needed a permanent building. A famous church architect named George Frederick Bodley was asked to design it. He had designed other beautiful churches, like St Salvador's Church in Dundee.

A kind and wealthy woman named Sarah Mackie helped a lot with money. The first part of the new church, called the chancel, was started in 1903 and finished in 1904. The main part of the church, the nave, was started in 1906 and finished in 1907. Sadly, Mrs. Mackie passed away shortly after, and work on the church stopped for a while.

In 1910, Revd Younghughes left, and Revd Edward Reid became the new Rector. Revd Reid came from a wealthy family and loved helping churches. He paid off the church's debts. However, inspections showed that the nave (the main part of the church) had not been built well and had to be taken down.

The Reid brothers, including Edward, then gave money to rebuild the church in memory of their sister, Elizabeth. The work was finished between 1913 and 1914. The beautiful new building was officially opened on February 1, 1915. Today, it is a special building protected by law, known as a Category B listed building.

St Bride's Church, Glasgow facts for kids

The History of St Bride's Church

Moving to Hyndland Road

See also